Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-12
JUMBO'S OLD CHUu.
lie Won't Return to England Be-
cause JumbO's Carcass IL Here.
New York Time


rule. and show managers have to put
mp with many vagaries from them.
They form strong attachments for their
big and sometimes ungainly pets at
tachments such as one would hardly
expect to exist between a human being
and wild beast.
4 case in point recently came under
the notice of Mr.. james J.. Hutchinson,
of the Barnum show, which serves well
to illustrate what seems to be one of
the chief traits in an animal-tralner's
character. When the Barnum people
boughtJumbo in England they brought
over to this country with him Matthew
Scott, who for some twenty years had
been the trainer and keeper of the
huge, homcly, hut good-natured
beast. Scott was JumbO's guardian
and constant companion during
that pachyderm's brief but brilliant
career in this country. When Jumbo
met his death as result of too much
monkeying with railroad train mp in
Canada. Scott was "all broke up, to
use the vernacular. He was Il restless,
dissatisfied, pretty well broken-up indi-
vidual while the skin of his elephantine
bedfcllow was being stuffed and his
skeleton cleaned and mounted for exhi-
bition purposes. When the remains of
Jumbo were added to the Banum az
gregation, Scott was put on exhibition
with them. He seemed to have recOv-
cred some of his happiness then, and
never tired of telling Of the peaceful
disposition, the kindly nature, and the
altogether commendablc habits of his
late chum.
When the BGrnum show closed its
season last October Mr.. Hutchinson
told Scott that he would have no fur
Their use for him, and advised him to
go back to England and accept the po-
sition at the London Geological Garden
that was waiting for him. Scott said
he would do so. On October 23d, ~
Lynchburg. Va, Mr.. Hutchinson paid
Scott the nearly 3, 1000 which had &c
crlmulated in bis hands ms the old train
er's wages. Scott also received money
TO pay his passage back to Europe, III
accordance with his agreement with the
Barnum people. He babe every one
goCd-bye, left the show, and started
for this city in time TO take the steamer
for Liverpool. That was the last that
was seen or heard OF him by the pro
prietors Of the BGrnum show until last
week.
Mr.. Hutchinson went up to the
Bridgeport winter quarters then to see
how things were progressing for the re-
moyal Of the shows truck to this city
He was astonished shortly after leaving
his train 10 meet Scott.
"Halloa, Scott, what are you doing
here ? Thought you were in England
with your friends. Glad to see you
any way" Thus the cherry manager.
Scott stumbled in his words consdera-
bly, and explained that he'd made lots
of friends in this country, rather liked
it, and thought he'd stay here for
awhile for rest, as he had good pile OF
money for him. He appeared to be a
trihe ashamed Of something, as ii caught
in a disreputable sort oil proceeding.
Mr. Hutchinson left him and went to
the big barns and sheds Of the compay.
But he couldn't forget Scott.
"Seen anything of Jumbo Scott
around here lately?" he asked casually
of the people in the office. No, they
hadn't. He determined to pursue his
inquiries further, and solve the mystery
Of this man Scots being in Bridgeport.
SO he went down to the elephant house.
Yes, they had seen Scott seen him
frequently; almost daily III fact. Mr.
Hutchinson followed the clue quietly
and successfully, and then it turned out
that nearly every day since the show
had been in winter quarters Scott had
prowled about the barn, chatted with
the elephant men, and invariably wound
up his call by visit to the spot where
the stuffed Jumbo and his chained skele-
ton are stored. After short, and, so
fur as is known, silent communion with
his dead friend, Scott would leave the
place satisfied, and 60 to his humble
lodgings in Bridgeport. If the deceased
Jumbo travels this season Scott will
want to, even ii he isn't on the salary
list.
Reads like circus advertisement,
doesn't it? But it isn't. It's a cold,
unadulterated fact. That's where it
differs from the usual circus "ad, "
bristling with adiectives. This bristles
only with sentiment and the very
unique and remarkable sort OF senti-
ment that oozes out on all sides under
the great canvas of circus It's akin
to that shown by Kentuckians occa-
sionally for some of their great racers
to that developed by old maids for the
pet cats and poodles, which leads them
to erect monuments over their dead
pets, and visit their burial-places and
sometimes leave tears and flowers on
the mounds covering their lost pets.
Curious, maudlin sort OF sentiment,
perhaps, but animal-trainers, like old
4 l.